BRAIN DEAD AGAIN
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 353
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
BRAIN DEAD AGAIN
For the last several days I have been asking you kind people about hooking up the amp meter on my '50 with a 239, I had the gauges from the 6 volt system in my head,(along with a lot of empty space it seems), when indeed I have a VOLT meter on the 12V gauges. If my brains were dynamite it wouldn't be enough to blow my nose! What do I have to do to hook up the VOLT meter in respect to hooking up an amp meter?
I am embarrassed to ask this question but my dad always told me," make all the mistakes you want but learn from each one"
I am embarrassed to ask this question but my dad always told me," make all the mistakes you want but learn from each one"
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,795
Likes: 129
From: Windermere Valley,B.C. Ca
Is the truck 6 volt or 12 volt ?
A ammeter reads the current in series for all of the system (less the starter) going in and out of the battery, the voltmeter is wired in parallel, its just hooked up to the pos and neg terminals of the battery and reads the voltage.
The ammeter's where dangerous because of all of he current going through the circuit. The voltmeter just use enough current to move the gauge. A 12 voltmeter will not work on 6 volts.
It gets a little confusing and probably not applicable to you but some newer ammeters or charge indicators are not really ammeters, ... they are shunt voltmeters that are calibrated to read amps.
A ammeter reads the current in series for all of the system (less the starter) going in and out of the battery, the voltmeter is wired in parallel, its just hooked up to the pos and neg terminals of the battery and reads the voltage.
The ammeter's where dangerous because of all of he current going through the circuit. The voltmeter just use enough current to move the gauge. A 12 voltmeter will not work on 6 volts.
It gets a little confusing and probably not applicable to you but some newer ammeters or charge indicators are not really ammeters, ... they are shunt voltmeters that are calibrated to read amps.
Phantom of the Phorum
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 5,472
Likes: 1,696
From: Kentucky
Your alternator circuit does not need to run to the voltmeter at all. It can run directly to the battery side of the starter relay. (You can still run it through the post on the regulator, if you wish.) The voltmeter will need keyed power, and ground. Keyed, because it can eventually run your battery down if connected to constant power.
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 353
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
I wired the alternator directly to the starter relay and made sure that the volt meter had power when the switch is on and ground. Now the motor won't turn at all.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Bothell & Silverdale, WA
Does the voltmeter work?
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Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 353
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
I ran the wire to the battery side of the starter relay and battery is charged. I thought maybe the gauges were not grounded properly so ran a ground wire from the ground side of the gauges to ground without result. I took a volt meter and checked the battery and it is good. I checked from the battery to the starter relay and got a charge but nothing from there to the gauges regardless of the switch being off or on.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,920
Likes: 21
From: Bothell & Silverdale, WA
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,297
Likes: 1,059
From: NM
I wouldn't go by the picture. The terminals are labelled on the back of the switch.
GA = gauges or accessories
BAT or B = Battery
IGN = ignition
Do you have a workshop manual? All the wiring is shown in a fair amount of detail in there.
Are you using stock gauges? Have you got a voltage reducer for the gauges? There is no "ground side" of the gauges, there is power in and a wire to the sender for each gauge.
GA = gauges or accessories
BAT or B = Battery
IGN = ignition
Do you have a workshop manual? All the wiring is shown in a fair amount of detail in there.
Are you using stock gauges? Have you got a voltage reducer for the gauges? There is no "ground side" of the gauges, there is power in and a wire to the sender for each gauge.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 353
Likes: 6
From: Arkansas
WONDER OF WONDERS, I actually did something right!! I got it to crank and actually fired again for awhile. Now it appears that I have a fuel problem. I have fuel in the tank but it does not go through the inline filter. Oh well i guess that is why it is interesting to work on these things as it is always something. Thanks again for all the help.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,920
Likes: 21
From: Bothell & Silverdale, WA
WONDER OF WONDERS, I actually did something right!! I got it to crank and actually fired again for awhile. Now it appears that I have a fuel problem. I have fuel in the tank but it does not go through the inline filter. Oh well i guess that is why it is interesting to work on these things as it is always something. Thanks again for all the help.